Journalist’s Tragic End Raises Questions on Traffic Management

Special Correspondent

Silchar: The tragic death of a young and promising photojournalist, Malin Sharma, attached with Barak Television Network has brought into focus several factors which lead to road mishaps, some most fatal. Besides broken roads, high speed, rash driving, overtaking, violation of traffic rules, unlicensed vehicles as well most important lax monitoring on traffic islands are responsible for accidents. After emotional outburst against the system by journalist fraternity and other various supporting organizations as it has happened, everything will again be normal.

Journalist Sharma after recording an event of Inner Wheel Club of Rotary was returning home riding a bike when it was hit by a speeding tipper truck coming from the opposite direction just near the fire brigade station at Tarapur of this town and also close to a police station. It was around 11 pm on Sunday with fading traffic movement. Malin was thrown off his seat and his head was almost crushed under the wheels of the tipper truck. He died on the spot. It was like any other hit and run case.

Some residents, men from the fire brigade and police station did come to the spot. But by that time the tripper had vanished. Even after 36 hours, there is no trace of the killer tipper truck and its driver. CCTV footages have failed to provide any clue or indication. The police are on a hunt to identify the tipper and the man on steering. The traffic police are on the target of people for chaos on roads. Vehicles, four and two-wheelers, race past one another to overtake. Parking by the vehicles is at random. This is a common sight. Unless traffic rules are strictly enforced, particularly curb on speed, accidents will continue to take place and more Malins will be its victim.

The records of the Silchar traffic police on accidents on roads are quite alarming. During the last 365 days, 225 vehicles were involved in accidents on roads and highways under its jurisdiction, killing 39 persons and 281 others. In the current session of Parliament, Union Minister of Roads and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has stated 400 persons die every day in road accidents. All this happens due to rash driving and resultant hit or collision or collision. In Silchar road mishaps, the record further says, involving four-wheelers led to 75 accidents, 59 bike accidents, 89 truck, and 38 auto rickshaw accidents. In the 71 hit and run cases, 18 persons were dead and 72 injured. Unofficially, the figures may be more.

Citizens and journalists demand a halt to the indiscriminate issue of licenses by the DTO, an influx of auto-rickshaws and rickshaws from gaon panchayat areas into the town which adds to the serious traffic management problem. The immediate task before the Silchar traffic police is to enforce strictly the rules of the road and regulate the speed of vehicles. This will reduce accidents and also the mortality rate.

Also Read: Journalist Dies in a Road Accident in Silchar